


therefore i am

by klemonn



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Slime Rancher (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Space, Angst, Boys Kissing, Confessions, Cute, Developing Relationship, Existential Crisis, First Kiss, Fluff, Georgewastaken, Gream - Freeform, Happy Ending, Internal Conflict, Kissing, LGBTQ Themes, Long, M/M, No Smut, Oh, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Slime Rancher AU, Sweet, about dreamnotfound that involved slimes and, angst later on, dreamnotfound, dreorge thats a tag right, hear me out fam, i made a game way too deep, koinophobia, like r/imfourteenandthisisdeep because honestly, okay so hear me out, reporter!george, sfw, slight angst, slime rancher - Freeform, slime rancher!dream, so at 5 am i began writing and in a few days after being sleep deprived, so dont take any of it too seriously, so i was like, so i was like okay so this is a thing now, so sorry if any of this comes off as, thinking too hard about the meaning of life, this is just purely for fun, this is totally NOT a vent fic wow, very sfw, what if i wrote a 12k fanfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:07:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28078929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klemonn/pseuds/klemonn
Summary: Dream turned his head back towards George, and the two looked at each other in silence.“Why did I come out here,” Dream repeated George. “Well…”He took a deep breath in, and traced circles along the table gently. Up closer, his hands looked worn, but strong.“Have you ever heard of koinophobia?”The question took George by surprise. He shook his head after a moment.“Koinophobia,” Dream went on, “is the fear of living an ordinary life.”Silence passed.“It’s when you fear that you’re so ordinary,” he looked at his uneaten cookie, “that one day, the world will forget about you. But it will keep spinning.”“Isn’t that the majority of the population though?” The brunet asked quietly.Dream nodded. “That’s the point. The fear that you’re no different than the rest.”-George Notound is a reporter for SMP News, a popular universally-known (quite literally) news station. He’s been assigned to visit the Far, Far Range and meet a mysterious, famous Slime Rancher that goes by ‘Dream’. Expecting to leave with a simple interview about Slimes, George finds himself being lured into something that’s far more than he anticipated.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 50
Kudos: 136





	1. Not My Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being a reporter is tough, especially if you're scared of heights and stuck above a deadly ocean. Good thing the rotting wooden pier is there for you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, this is my first really long book so please be gentle with me. It's in total about 12k words, and also not meant to be taken seriously- it's just based off of a personal interpretation of a philosophical quote (key words: personal interpretation), plus my koinophobia that leaves me miserable a lot of the time. I found this like a nice outlet to let out some pent-up feelings.
> 
> By the way, this is not based off of Billie Eilish’s song.
> 
> I apologize for the short first chapter, I promise it gets longer. Thank you all. :)

Who knew that flying to a planet full of gooey creatures, a slimy sea, and an isolated rancher would be so nerve-wracking?

George pressed his lips together nervously as he felt the starship he was aboard come to a halt. The metal of the floor was tough against the bottom of his black wingtip boots, the heels about an inch and a half high. His jeans were a dark but vibrant navy blue, standing out against his black and white bomber jacket. His hair was a ruffled mess, but neat at the same time- it looked natural, but not too much like a bird’s nest.

“Thank you,” he murmured kindly to the driver, receiving a nod in response as he paid the ticket.  
He took a step outdoors, and found himself standing on a wooden dock. He was surprised at how… outdated it seemed, for such a known location. He looked down between the cracks, and saw a slimy ocean beneath him. If he looked close enough, he swore he could see tiny blobs moving through the depths.  
It cracked beneath George, making him jump back a bit. This was not a good reaction, because the dock ended just behind him. He found himself even more on the edge of the pier, and forced himself to look up.  
Just walk. To the end.

George pressed forward, and saw the ending of the dock. It led to a dusty, yellow (orange in reality) ground. Rocky cliffs surrounded him, and he looked around in awe of the beauty. For something that should seem so lifeless and old, the yellow rock and the blue sky contrasted in a beautiful way that one could only describe as ethereal.  
Once on the actual ground, George bent down and moved a pale hand through the dirt.  
“Wow…” he whispered.  
Dirt shouldn’t have amazed him. But the softness of it was so different to what the first impression was- from lifeless and barren, to bright and lively. Even in the middle of nowhere, there was still some form of life. Some form of existence.

He stood up and brushed off his black shirt. George didn’t have time to stand around and admire the way the trees blew, he had a job to do.

There was a slime rancher, who was famous for posting online, who went by the name of Dream. No one knew his real name, or his face- he was always seen with a white smiley face mask tied around his head. At some angles in photos, a smile could be seen, but not too clearly.  
Despite only being in the field for about two years, he was known for his expertise in the field of slime ranching. He always cared for his slimes with high, new technology, and always delivered items for trades on time. It was a supposed honor, to be able to trade with Dream. You’d get high quality products and well cared for slime in return for a reasonable price. But he only selected trustworthy people- quite different from some other rangers, who took deals left and right without thinking.

George, though, he was no trader. Not a slime rancher, at that. Instead, he was a reporter in the same system that Dream resided in, the Solymus Star System. Once his company had managed to score an interview with the one and only, they’d immediately sent their closest employee out to the Far, Far Range. He supposed it was better than nothing, but the fact that he could screw this up at any given moment was terrifying.  
(A recorder sat in his pocket- legal permission was needed, of course, and had been granted. It was much simpler than walking around, carrying a tablet.)

He was shaken out of his thoughts. Before George knew it, he’d come across a landmark. It was a small, yellow, glowing holographic D that floated above the ground. He pressed a button on the hologram’s display, and a message popped up.

_If you’re reading this, then you’re probably the reporter sent to the Far, Far Range. Just walk on up ahead past the carrots and Pink Slime, and you’ll come across an open area with four weird posts and eventually a gate- keep walking and you’ll be at the farm. :3_

_-Dream_

George bit his lip anxiously. He had to come across Slime? Sure, he’d seen some before, but never in the wild. He knew they were small and harmless, but the thought of a tiny, slimy creature jumping around him wasn’t really appealing. No matter how cute Dream made them look online.

He shook off the thoughts and moved forward, climbing up a small hill before coming across a clearing. Wild carrot patches lined the sides, green leaves sticking out of the ground at awkward angles. Just when George thought that he could keep moving, he heard a pop noise right next to him.

George nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw that a fucking Pink (light blue to him) Slime had decided to make its presence known, looking up at him cutely. Oh god, not just one, but three. Four. Five. No.  
He walked faster past the creatures, ignoring the gooey noises of slime hoping behind him. The small cute noises did a bit to distract him, but the last thing he wanted right then was to come across a Tarr.

_Opening, opening, weird posts, opening…_

George finally stumbled into an area, and saw four odd posts, two on each side.  
Finally.  
A bit ahead was a blue and white gate, a definite disparity between the landscape and the man made object. As he stepped inside the gate, he felt the ground beneath him shift from a soft sand-like dirty texture, to a rocky pathway. And with that, he looked around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You should totally contact me if you wanna vibe, y'know?
> 
> [Twitter!](https://mobile.twitter.com/gildedobsidian)
> 
> [Wattpad!](http://w.tt/37PeQU9)


	2. While You Were Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patches makes an appearance. That’s all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo :0 I wasn’t planning on updating today but was like ehhh I might as well. I hope you enjoy. :D
> 
> [Here’s a link to the crop top I mention Dream wearing!](https://twitter.com/sqaceborks/status/1297755110982823939?s=21) The pink is blue and the white is white. The undershirt is still there. :]

Okay, well, he didn’t know what he was expecting.

In his defense, when someone is known for using high tech, you don’t then assume that the person lives in what could be considered a… a trailer.

There he stood, in front of a small house. Okay, a trailer was way too much of an exaggeration. It wasn’t… bad. It just wasn’t what you would think of when you thought of Dream the Ultimate Slime Rancher. He wasn’t one to talk, he lived in an apartment on a nearby planet. But nonetheless, it just- well. He didn’t know how to describe his emotions.

Turning around to look at the rest of the place, he could see a multitude of things- corrals, a coop, trees growing Pogofruit, and a large screen displaying the Plort market with a small green and black opening. It was all so _odd._  
He was a bit of distance away from the corrals, but he could see slimes moving around in them. In the closest was a batch of pink slimes that had spikes along their back. Just then, several carrots shot out of one of the corners of the corral and into the mouths of the creatures. There was chewing, and a moment late, popping noises.  
_So that’s how Plorts are harvested,_ he thought, watching a suction feature pull the Plorts in.

“Well, well, well,” George heard a voice from behind him.  
He quickly spun around, and immediately regretted it.

There, stood Dream.

He had his mask on, sure, but he could see dirty blonde hair poking out from the top. The man wore smooth, dark blue boots that came up to below his knee, with black two-inch heels (wow, he walked around all day in those?). His (unnecessarily tight) pants were black with natural rips at the knees, and he wore a. A crop top. A crop top. Holy shit.

The crop top wasn’t even that significant. He wore what seemed to be a white tight shirt that went down to his waist, and above that a sweatshirt crop top- the one from the old Twitter meme that was like “turns out the undershirt part of the crop top is not a part of the item”, with the right side being a vivid blue and the left being white. He was wearing a lot of blue, huh…

But Jesus. The crop top. The guy had fucking _abs._ Nothing that looked like an inflated thing taped to his chest, just lean muscle that. Holy shit. Holy shit oh god was he staring? Shit, he was tall. A lot taller than George. He could easily tower over him. 

“H-hi,” George finally replied, reaching out a hand. “I’m George Notound, the reporter from SMP News.”  
“I know,” Dream grinned, and _fuck_ he had a single dimple on his right cheek.  
“Oh, I didn’t know you called ahead.”  
“Why do you think I’m wearing blue?”  
George stared at the smiley face for a moment.  
“Oh,” Dream continued, a laugh escaping his lips. “I’m sorry, that sounds really creepy. I mean I just looked you up before you came, because I asked who was coming and figured I might as well get to know if you if I’m gonna spend an entire day with you. I suppose I should’ve specified Pink Slime as something different, though…”

George nodded absentmindedly, confused as to how much information was even on the internet about him. Man.  
“Anyways,” Dream scratched the back of his neck, and holy shit some of the white croptop/undershirt slid up holy shit. “I figure I’ll show you around, huh? Since you guys are kinda the first to get a good glimpse at my stuff. Like, for an interview.”  
George nodded once again. “Yeah, um, whatever sounds great.”

As Dream walked in front of him, George couldn’t help but wonder why someone would ever find this life so appealing. It seemed so isolated. Sure, the Slime were there. But what about someone you could talk to, someone who you could communicate with? Surely that would be lonely, right?

“These,” Dream’s voice shattered his thoughts, “are the Pink Rock Largos. They’re very tough, so stay outside.”  
“Tough?” George asked.  
Dream nodded. A moment later, he chuckled.  
“I remember the first time trying to collect the plorts. Wasn’t smart enough to install the automatic collector and, well,” he laughed a bit louder, “let’s just say I did not leave unscathed.”  
“So what did you do?”  
Dream smiled.  
“Money’s money.”

George found himself laughing alongside Dream. It wasn’t really the joke, but the fact that Dream had this- this kettle like laugh that was so contagious. He couldn’t even see half of the man’s face, but his smile was so infectious.  
_Please, please don’t make me simp over an idiot unattainable man._  
After they calmed down, Dream shook his head, as if trying to make the remainder of his smile go away.  
“Anyways, yeah. These were my first babies. They’re not worth much, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any attachment to them.”  
“I see.”

“Over here,” the taller man began, “are the Honey Tabby Largos.”  
George turned his attention to the other corral, and nearly cried. Inside were big slimes, golden with three honeycombs on the forehead. Cat ears, a tail, and tabby markings stood out.  
“Oh,” he whispered.  
“They’re adorable… wanna step inside?”  
He looked at Dream, a concerned looking spreading across his face.  
“Are you sure?”  
Dream snorted. “They won’t attack you.”  
A gleam in his eye told an unhidden story, and he stepped inside the corral’s barriers. George bit on his lip nervously, before stepping inside with him. 

It was warm, in the corral, pleasantly so. Gentle, soft music played from a music box in the corner. An air net covered the roof, and from the bounciness of the slimes, he could tell why.  
George watched as a Honey Tabby in front of him wiggling itself into the ground. Just as he was about to say something, he saw it come flying- right at his face.

The Honey Tabby managed to launch itself square into George’s face, knocking him backwards as it fell back to the ground.  
“Dream!” He yelled, trying to get the sticky honey off of his face.  
The man in response let out a strong wheezing laughter, cackling as the Honey Tabby went for another leap. George struggled to get back out of the corral and watched as the slime leaped into the barrier. His nose was now covered in a slimy, thick honey.  
“I’m sorry,” Dream said in between laughs, but could barely finish the sentence before returning to the kettle-like laughter.

“H-help me clean it off,” George said.  
He didn’t really want to stop listening to the laugh. Just like last time, he began laughing alongside him, no matter how upset he tried to make himself seem.  
Dream finally, after what seemed like ages, managed to calm himself down.  
“Okay, okay,” he breathed, “I’ll get you a towel.”  
The Rancher retreated into his house, and George shuffled his feet. Oh, shit, he was supposed to be here for business. Right. When Dream returned, he would strictly ask him questions he planned when needed.

Yeah, all of that fell out the window once he returned. One look at the crop top and he was _simping._  
“Here, it’s wet,” he gave the towel to the elder, and George began wiping his face.  
“Sorry for laughing so hard, I just never saw what it looked like for Patches to boop someone else.”  
“Patches?” George wondered.  
“Oh. I, um, name my Slimes,” Dream laughed, but it came off as nervous. “That one, um, the one with the five stripes on the right, they’re Patches.”

_Holy shit, that’s adorable. You’re adorable. I want to be Patches’ second father._

“That’s very…”  
“Dumb?”  
“No,” George shook his head. “I was going to say, um, e-endearing.”  
Dream stared at him for a moment (probably, anyways, he was looking in his direction) before a small smile came across his face. He looked away, and began walking off.

“Wanna see my cave?” He called behind him.  
The shorter male nodded and quickly followed after, not that he had a choice.

Yes, yes he did have a choice. He wasn’t sure if it was because of his job.  
So Dream showed him the cave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You should totally contact me if you wanna vibe, y'know?  
> 
> 
> [Twitter!](https://mobile.twitter.com/gildedobsidian)
> 
> [Wattpad!](http://w.tt/37PeQU9)


	3. On The Other Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slimes? Cute. Tarr? Not very cute. They also bite. Very hard. It's a shame George had to learn that the hard way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW this bad boy is LONG (hehe). Again, just for fun, so... don't take it too seriously. :D I hope you enjoy nonetheless.

It was dark, and even had a narrow and cramped opening to get inside. But inside was beautiful, as some of the sun lit up the dark cave from a tiny window in the rocky ceiling. It was slightly cold, but not unbearable. Everywhere had a blue tint, and the echo of dripping came from an unknown location. George got to see Dream’s Cuberry (grown in there because it was the Phosphor’s favorite) trees, and of course, the Phosphors. And an odd pond, that hosted a single Puddle Slime.

He got to ask all sorts of questions, from how difficult it was to manage Slimes in the dark to why he put a random Puddle Slime in a pond in here. He didn’t know the answer to the latter, aside from “the water matches the aesthetic.”

And the entire time, George could not take his eyes off of Dream.

He should’ve looked at the Slime.  
And yet… man.

The dripping noise filled the background as George stared into the pond, watching the small Puddle Slime move slowly.  
“Aren’t they lonely?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.  
Dream shook his head, a smile on his face.  
“No, I think. They’re happy as can be. I just haven’t gone to the Moss Blanket in a while.”  
George stood up from kneeling at the pond, cringing when he realized he’d gotten his knees wet. Well, that would be uncomfortable for a bit.  
“Moss Blanket?” he asked.

Dream nodded.  
“A region out here, it’s where I found the Hunter, Honey and Boom Slimes. Found Rain there. Pretty chaotic, Tarrs spawn there a good bit, but it’s worth it I think.”  
“Oh, I see.”  
_Rain, huh? He really does have names for all of them._  
“I could take you there.”  
George looked up, mouth opening to speak.  
“Y’know what, nope. You get no say. C’mon, I’m grabbing my jetpack.”

George immediately spoke. “Hey, wait- jet pack- Mossy Blanket? Right after you mention Tarrs?”  
The other waved his hand nonchalantly, already making his way towards the cave’s entrance.  
“They’re easy to deal with, when dealt with early. Just a splash or two of water, and bang. Now c’mon, we’ve gotta get past the Feral Slimes, I’ll grab some Hen Hens.”  
“ _Feral Slimes!?_ ”  
“Shhhh- come on-“  
“Dream!” George exclaimed, “I can’t- die to stupid blobs-“  
Dream rolled his eyes.  
“You’re so over dramatic, I’ve done it dozens of times. They just get hungry, that’s all. Now come _on._ ”  
The brunet stood there for a moment, before sighing and slowly following behind.  
“Only for the report.”

= - + - =

“Holy shit, I’m not jumping down there.”

The two had walked out of the farm for a bit, before coming across a small passageway. Below was a dock that lead out to an island, and a quick way was to get below.  
“Come on! Do you want to deal with the risk of Tarrs, or do you want to have fun?”  
George huffed, looking down below him once more. Sure, Dream had been fine when he jumped. But for himself, who was shorter and probably lighter, he wasn’t too excited to see what a jump like that would do.  
“I’m gonna break something.”  
“I’ll catch you. Come on now, it’s not even that far.”

Taking a deep breath, he jumped over the side and expected to hit the ground. Surprisingly, though, Dream kept his word. He opened his eyes, to see a familiar mask looking back at him.  
“Ugh, put me down.”  
With a laugh, the boy put the other one back down, and rubbed the back of his neck.  
“Come on, we’ve got a Puddle Slime to vac.”

Dream set off across the weak wooden boards towards the small island, leaving George behind.  
“Hold on, we have to cross these? Wait, there’s no way-“  
“Yeah, obviously! Hurry up.”  
_Fuck fuck fuck fuck-_  
George felt his breathing speed up as he looked beneath him. Holy shit, holy shit. If he fell in the Slime Ocean, he would sink to the bottom. He’d never return back to the surface. Game over. Just like that, he would be suffocated in the slimy liquid.

Dream seemed to notice the mood change. His smile fell, and he came back across the panels towards George.  
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m just kidding, we don’t have to-“  
“No,” George interrupted. “We- we can go. Just don’t, um, go too far ahead.”  
“Are you sure?” Dream pulled the other man in front of him.  
Even if George couldn’t see his eyes, he could tell they were staring right into his soul.  
“Yes.”

A minute passed, before Dream let out a sigh and nodded slowly.  
“Okay, don’t look down. Remember, I’ve done this who knows how many times. Just follow next to me, I got you. If anything happens, I have my jetpack.”  
George nodded and followed along beside Dream. His heart was racing (from the fear, definitely) as he felt an arm slide around him, rubbing the right side of his back comfortingly as they walked along.

It felt like ten years later when they reached the small island. George didn’t even get a chance to calm down, before several big Pink Slime popped out of the ground. Red electric sparks seemed to flicker around them, and their sclera were black with red irises. His heart, if possible, seemed to go even faster.

Dream pulling out his vacpack casually and shooting Hen Hens at giant Slimes should not have been as hot as it was, but man it was kinda attractive.  
George stood back uselessly as he watched the faceless man shoot animals into the middle of the Slimes. The Slimes then ate them, and reverted back to normal. Repeat this process several times, and it was a relief to realize they were no longer about to get crushed by ass.

“Now, this next pathway is longer, and has some turns. Just let me know if you want to stop, alright?” Dream turned to the boy, and spoke in a low voice.  
After getting a nod in return from the brown-haired, he moved forward along the new docks, the wood even more old-looking. If it weren’t for the fact that he was being helped, George would have been looking down. You know what, no- George would not have even been there.

At one point, the waves were not calm, and one slammed against a beam of wood supporting the dock. The path shook, and an embarrassingly scared gasp escaped the older man’s mouth as he nearly stumbled. Dream held him back firmly, desperately keeping both of them stable.  
“It’s okay,” he said, as if trying to convince himself.

After seeing if the pier would stay stable, Dream nodded and (dragged) helped the visitor along once more. They were getting closer to the plant-covered island, and George wasn’t exactly sure how the hell he would be able to make the trip across the wooden planks again to get back.  
As soon as his feet touched the grassy surface, he let out a breath he didn’t know he was restraining. Running a hand through his hair, the boy turned to see Dream tilting his head at him.  
“Are you scared of heights?”  
It wasn’t a condescending tone, nor one of any judgement or anything of the sort. It seemed genuine, almost concerned.

George looked away for a minute, before shrugging. The other man nodded in return, before going ahead of the man.  
“You thought that was the tough part? We got a hole to jump down.”  
“What!?”  
Dream cackled, his shoulders shaking.  
“It’s fine, you can just slide down a steep angle. It’s fun, trust me.”  
“Define fun. Fun as in a roller coaster fun, or fun as in risking drowning at the bottom of a slime sea fun?”  
“Well,” Dream paused. “I… don’t like roller coasters.”

_Fuck, why did I ever take this hellish job?_

“But seriously,” he quickly continued, “I promise it’s not that bad. Once we get inside, you won’t regret it.”  
Without another word, George stepped inside the circular opening, and Dream followed.  
They stepped up rocky stairs that were coated in moss. Small, scattered bloomed out of them here and there, complementing the strips of leafy vines spilling over the upper cliffs. Dream took the lead in front of him, gently moving past.  
“The entrance is over here, see.”  
He led them both to what he mentioned- a hole. It wasn’t deep at all, but was still a hole. How would they even get out?  
As if he read his mind, Dream spoke again.  
“Don’t worry, I have my jetpack. I can carry you.”  
George snorted. “Sure.”

Without another word, Dream hopped in and slid down. George, not wanting to have to be caught again, quickly followed. The inside of the large, almost trunk-looking tube was rough but smooth, with vines growing down. He was able to control his sliding by grabbing onto the long ivy.  
“See? Easy. Now come, this is the best part.”  
He snorted, wondering what the farmer considered ‘the best’. He looked for himself.

Holy shit.  
Maybe Dream was right.

The sight before him was one that was far too beautiful for him to even feign annoyance at. 

If he wasn’t colorblind, then the sight would be somehow even more beautiful. The ground was an emerald green, with light pink and red flowers adorning the soft grass. Large trees towered above their heads that provided shade, and rustled gently with the soft wind. The cliffs around them were completely different from the ones on the main island. Instead of being a rocky, orange (yellow to George) color, these ones were a rich and natural brown, with vines and plants cascading over the sides. There were rivers dividing some parts of the area, and the water was a clear and beautiful blue- completely different from the murky Slime Sea.  
“Wow,” George said. He was saying that a lot, huh.  
Dream snorted. “Told ya.”

He took a deep breath in, and the scent of sweetness filled his lungs.  
“That’s…” He began, trailing off.  
“Honeysuckle. There must be Honey Slimes nearby.”  
“There’s something else.”  
“Sulfur?”  
“Yeah- what the hell is-”  
Dream wheezed. George’s face went red.  
“Those must be the Boom Slimes. Just ignore them. Don’t get too close- they won’t seriously hurt you, but it’ll sting like hell if they explode and you’re too near.”  
“Noted.”

The blond man moved forward, with the brunet trailing behind. They both moved slowly, because George just couldn’t help but continuously look around. He’d seen photos of places similar to this, but there was something so different about actually seeing it face-to-face.  
“Is the water safe?” he asked, looking carefully.  
“For sure. Drinkable, maybe.”  
“Ew.”  
Another laugh. “Yeah, never tried it myself. Slimes look happy though.”  
George rolled his eyes. “Fish look happy in seawater, doesn’t mean you should drink it.”  
“Touché…”

Dream ran a hand through his wavy, sandy-colored hair. The vacpack was in his left hand (fuck, was he ambidextrous? Oh god.), with the jetpack slung across his back. Even with a white mask covering a good portion of his face, he looked so natural standing there. As if it were meant to be.  
The way the grass moved, the flowers blew, how some leaves scattered through the air and floated around him… he looked so at peace.  
“I can see you staring,” Dream broke the near-silence.  
George felt his face flush, and he quickly snapped his gaze away.  
“Sorry, I’m just… not used to seeing- this,” he gestured vaguely with his hand at the last word.  
Dream nodded. Another silence passed through them.

“What is it about the Slimes?” He asked.  
“S-sorry?”  
“The way you look at the entire place, I can see you watching the Slimes. I dunno, it looks kinda, like, um…”  
George shook his head, cutting Dream off.  
“No, I understand. I just… um… I don’t. Ugh, this is going to sound weird,” George said.  
Dream stayed silent, awaiting for him to continue. The only sound that remained was the squishing and squealing of Slimes, and the gentle breeze rustling the overgrowth. The brunet took a deep breath.  
“How… intelligent they are. I don’t know the word-”

“Sentient.”

George nodded, and right then a Rock Slime found its way over to them. He didn’t dare touch it, or anywhere near the gray spikes protruding from its head- body? Headbody? Whatever.  
“I understand,” Dream finally replied, after a minute or so. “Completely.”  
He bent down to the rocky creature, and George couldn’t help but do the same. Dream brushed his hand by the Slime’s face, it’s cute eyes scrunching into two lines. It rubbed itself into his hand before bouncing away. Blue slime remained on his hand.  
“I was,” George gulped, “I was wondering earlier. How is it that you never get lonely on- on an island like this?”  
Dream looked at him, and together they sat kneeled on the grass. For the first time in a while, George felt something that he could call peaceful. His mind felt freer, and his heart lighter. It almost felt like the planet beneath him spoke to him, in a soft and soothing manner.  
“I-”

Dream immediately stood up, pulling George along with him. The brunet gasped in shock at the force, and watched in fear as the Rancher swung his Vacpack into his right hand and held George behind him.  
“Stay behind me,” he ordered.  
The reporter didn’t even know what was going on, but nodded vigorously.  
He peered over Dream’s shoulder, only to regret it immediately.  
The smell of rotten flesh and strong, pungent… diesel, almost, filled his lungs. He pressed his nose into his elbow as he watched the scene unfold in horror- about a dozen Tarr, all hungrily looking at everything around them. The Slimes squealed in terror, immediately running into the bushes and wherever they could find.

George had, like many things, heard about Tarrs and had seen them in the media. Never did he think he would encounter one in the wild, especially when he was supposed to be interviewing a celebrity. The awful, ravenous, rainbow swirls along the soot-colored slimy bodies sent cold shivers down his spine.  
“Stay calm,” a strict voice spoke. Dream. Fuck, that was kind of hot.  
But- it was hard to stay calm if you saw a Tabby Slime get gobbled by a monster, only for said monster to then multiply.  
George heard the small machine Dream held begin to power up, and he jumped back as water began spewing out of the tip. As soon as it made contact with the Tarr, the rainbows began to fade along the body, and their attention mainly turned towards him. All was well.

That was, until he got bit.

George felt a large, hot, gooey substance clamp around his arm. It wasn’t hot and gooey in a good way, like how the impact the Honey Tabby made with his face felt. No, this was genuine pain- like millions of needles were slowly injecting themselves into his arm, white hot ones at that.  
He screamed as he pushed the Tarr away, watching it recoil angrily, about to strike again. George hid his arm from his own view, not wanting to look at the damage that had been done.  
Dream whipped around, and the Tarr soon broke away into nothingness as the water cascading over its dark surface. The man then turned back around to the others, and George ran behind a small tree and sunk against it.

He took a look at his arm, and bit his lip in order to not whimper. Where the Tarr had bitten him was now a dark red deep wound, and blood trickled down his arm. No major arteries had been hit, but holy shit this was not in the job description.  
George shook his head free of the thoughts and squeezed his eyes shut as he removed his jacket and tied it around his arm. He had an identical pair back home, if he ever fucking made it back.

“George?” he heard Dream call.  
“Here!”  
Dream stumbled around the corner, and George looked up at him from his sitting position. It only took a second for him to find the now red jacket tied around the man’s arm, and when he did, he looked terrified.  
“Holy shit, your arm-” he rushed over and knelt down.  
“It’s fine, it’s wrapped, I can keep it like this,” George reassured.  
“I know but holy shit this wasn’t supposed to happen, I’m so sorry.”  
“It wasn’t your fault-”  
“Yes it was!” Dream interrupted. He sounded genuinely upset. “I dragged you out here, oh my god I’m so-”

“Dream.”  
George’s sturdy, stern voice surprised both of them, but he continued talking.  
“It wasn’t your fault. I know I would have been able to refuse if I wanted to. I chose to come out here, and you had no control over the Tarr. You’re fine.”  
Dream pursed his lips in concern, but didn’t go on. He shook his head silently.  
“I need to get you h- back to the Ranch.”  
“Are you sure?”  
Dream nodded. “I can always show you around later.”

For some reason, George felt like that comment was accompanied by a wink. A memory flooded his mind, and his smile quickly fell. He didn’t want to go just yet.

“Wait.”  
Dream tilted his head.  
“Can we catch a Slime?”  
They two stared at each other for a moment.  
“What?” Dream asked in the most astounded tone possible. “Can- can we-”  
“Catch a Slime,” George finished argumentatively. “It would be good for the report, and… um… yeah.”

This time, Dream seemed more genuinely curious.  
“And what?”  
George bit his lip, looking away.  
“Um… when I was a kid, I always kinda wanted to find a Slime and host it, like you. And it’s what we came here for, right.”  
A small smile spread across the taller man’s face, before being quickly wiped off.  
“George, your arm-”  
“Dream, I’ve been through worse. It’s fine.”

Dream looked as if he to want to argue more, but seemed to realize it was a pointless struggle. He shrugged, and helped George to his feet and to the pond right by the entrance. It was a beautiful, shiny blue- maybe it was drinkable? It was just really clean…  
_Ew, gross._  
“I told you it looks drinkable!” he exclaimed.  
George jumped, before shaking his head. “I didn’t say any-”  
“Oh c’mon now, you know I’m right,” and then Dream _smirked._  
George only rolled his eyes and bent down with him.

His eyes scanned over the blue water until they landed on a blob floating over the surface. It looked like how a normal blob would, but the bottom fanned out as it connected with the water. It’s head would dip slightly below the surface every few seconds, but would pop right back up with every gentle ripple of the water.  
“That one?” George heard a surprisingly soft voice ask.  
“Mhm.”  
Dream nodded and pointed the vacpack at the small creature.  
“If your arm was okay, I’d let you catch it yourself,” Dream continued speaking, with a smile. “But I suppose I’ll have to do it until later.”  
“Later?” he asked. “I’m only here for a day, though…”

George was confused. Dream did know this interview wasn’t forever, right?  
Dream simply smiled. “Never said it had to be for the interview.”  
The British man blinked in response, a blush covering his face before he forced himself to break his gaze from Dream’s face and back to the vacpack.  
“Get the Slime.”  
Fuck, there was that cursed smirk again. Cocky and knowing, but playful. Stupidly attractive. And the single dimple, that surely wasn’t allowed. He heard Dream quietly snort, and the small machine started up.

He watched as the Puddle Slime disconnected from the water and swirled through the air into the vacuum. It landed inside with a small pop, leaving water dripping from the end of the machine slightly.  
“They’re comfortable in there?” George asked.  
“Mhm,” Dream nodded. “They come out just fine, happy as ever.”  
A disappointed frown then came across the masked man’s lower face.  
“Man, I was gonna show you the Glass Desert… those fucking Tarr,” he then grunted.  
“Glass Desert?”  
“Incredible place, aside from the heat. I restored it when I first came here, it’s a desert with luscious plants and Slime and…”  
Dream broke off.  
“It’s whatever,” he finished. “I’m just really concerned about your arm, seriously. We need to get you back right now.”

George nodded, and Dream moved his vacpack as he carefully put his arms around the reporter’s waist from the back.  
“Wait- what’re you-” the shorter boy was then cut off.  
“How do you think we’re going to get out of here?” Dream responded. His voice was way too deep next to his ear.  
Suppressing a small shiver, George nodded silently once again. He felt the arms tighten slightly, and they were soon lifted off the ground at the sound of a button. It was only several yards up in the air, to a ledge of a cliff they couldn’t reach- but nonetheless, the contact was just… man. He was about to be sent to horny solitary confinement jail.

Up on the cliff, Dream released George’s waist from his grasp. He immediately moved to see George’s hurt arm, and cringed at how a portion of the once white jacket was now stained crimson.  
“Shit, I really wish I brought a med kit, it-it’s just that I never usually get injured-”  
“Dream, I said stop blaming yourself,” George interrupted. “It’s okay, I’m not going to sue you or anything. You couldn’t have controlled it.”  
“But-”  
“Shut up and get me to your house already.” His tone was playful, but his look was serious. If Dream blamed himself one more time, he was going to throw his lanky ass into the Slime Sea.

The interviewee sighed, but continued to help both of them along the path back to the entrance. The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was slowly turning from a light blue to a saturated yellow-green (orange, it’s orange). It mixed with the blue, creating what looked so much like a painting. Or maybe a painting just looked too much like real life.  
“We need to jump here,” Dream’s voice broke through his thoughts.  
George sighed. He was getting extremely tired of having to maneuver through different environments. But Dream did it every day, in what should be considered heels nonetheless. His ass could jump a bit.

“I’ll use the jetpack again, and-”  
“No, I can do it by myself,” George argued. He just didn’t want to feel the arms around his waist again, or he think he would cry.  
“What? No, that’s stupid-”  
“I don’t need help, I’ll be fine.”  
Dream stared at him (well, probably) for a second, before sighing and shaking his head.  
“If you need me to catch you…”

Dream leaped down, catching his fall naturally. He turned back around and watched George on top of the rock.  
George took a deep breath and climbed down with one arm, trying to find footing by moving his legs. It wasn’t even that big of a jump, but he had no way to catch himself. And the ledge was way too close to the Sea for his comfort.  
He placed his foot on one rock, but immediately felt how slippery it was. George tried to pull back and put his foot elsewhere, but his other leg slipped from beneath him.

“Shit!” he yelped as his good hand slipped from the rock, and he came down hard onto the grassy ground.  
He managed to save himself last minute by keeping his bad arm out of the way of falling, but if he did land on it, it would’ve been fine. The pain of embarrassment he was experiencing right then (Dream’s wheeze-sob was not helping) was worse than if a Tarr bit both of his arms.  
“A-are you okay?” Dream asked through tears, clutching his stomach.  
“Shut up.”  
Dream lent out a hand, and George rolled his eyes and took it. His face felt like it was on fire, especially when Dream let out a steady breath from laughing so much and wrapped an arm around his waist.  
“Careful now, we’re going over the water again…”

It was slightly easier now, somehow, to cross over the broken plants above the thick sea. Maybe the fading adrenaline and returning pain was distracting him from the possibility of sinking to the bottom of a suffocating sea. Just a thought.

Quietness passed between the two. There was no sound aside from the distant sounds of slimes squealing, which were mainly covered by the crashing of gooey waves on rotting wood.  
“Dream?” George spoke up quietly.  
“Hmm?”  
The injured man hesitated.  
“Um…” he began. “Earlier, when I asked about how you never became lonely… you never finished your sentence.”  
Dream didn’t respond for a minute, filling George with the fear that he had accidentally said something sensitive. As the sound of boots walking on wood went on, anxiety crashed over him like the waves below.

“I…”  
George’s head snapped towards Dream, after hearing him begin talking again. His voice was quieter.  
“I’ve never been a people person,” he said. “I mean, people are fine, but… I’ve always never… had time for them, if that makes any sense.”  
He went silent for a minute, before continuing.  
“When I was younger, I always felt like the outdoors and animals of the forest understood me better than anyone else could, even though I- I would say I’m, you know, pretty close to my family. There’s just never been an experience I’ve felt compared to the one of- of running, with dogs in a field, or chasing foxes through bramble, or-”

He stopped again.  
“Or coming out here,” Dream’s voice became slightly louder. “Going into the docks at midnight, feeding the Sabers in the dark. Venturing out into the Glass Desert during a solar anomaly, fighting your way through The Wild, there’s so much… so much beyond what humans think of as the end.”  
George wasn’t speaking at this point. He couldn’t help but listen to the rambling.  
“Fighting the Tarr in the dark, their rainbows the only thing lighting up the area. Lighting a torch in the Ancient Ruins, or the feeling of a Rad Slime’s radiation lingering on your skin after risking your life, or the- the feeling of wind against your face when you can jetpack higher than you’ve ever before on a cliff, and the ground beneath you… fades away. The risk of searching for a Hunter Slime at sunset, the feeling of them brushing against you, only for nothing to be there.”

They were now at the island. George was no longer distracted by any pain, or any fear. Only by the emotion that seeped from every one of Dream’s words, passionate and yet hopeless. He understood what it was. The need for more.  
“There’s so much, George,” Dream went on. “I don’t- I don’t know how to explain the want to experience more. To be beyond the safety of Earth, to live each day knowing one wrong move could lead to your end. It’s not just the danger, it’s just the feeling of accomplishment. I think…”  
He inhaled, as if he’d been running the entire pier.  
“I think that’s what makes my life purposeful. Waking up,” he looked at the fading sun, “and being unable to see what lies ahead.”

“Isn’t that scary, though?” George inquired, facing Dream as they continued walking. “To not know what’s going to happen next?”  
Dream let out a small laugh, and turned his head towards George.  
“It’s all about perspective.”  
For whatever reason, they fell quiet after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You should totally contact me if you wanna vibe, y'know?  
> 
> 
> [Twitter!](https://mobile.twitter.com/gildedobsidian)
> 
> [Wattpad!](http://w.tt/37PeQU9)


	4. Doors Like These

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George was never one for talking so in depth about such an unimportant comment, like “it’s all about perspective.” Things change, though, when you eat sweets and try to ignore a throbbing pain in your arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe we have a pretty long chapter, finally. Again, this is all for fun, not meant to be taken completely seriously. I hope you enjoy. :)  
> Again, I’d like to clarify! This is just a personal interpretation based off of information I’ve gathered, not meant to be preachy or anything. It’s all in good fun

They made it back to the house in one piece.

“Sit here,” Dream ordered George once he got him sat down on a chair in the kitchen.  
He then ran off to god-knows-what part of the house.

The room was full of silence. Not even anything from the outside, like Slimes, could be heard. Only his own heavy breathing from the returned pain, and the sound of shuffling from some distant room.  
His eyes drifted to Dream’s phone on the table. It wasn’t open, and required facial recognition to do so. However, a ping went off, and he couldn’t help but shift it slightly so he could see.

_From: Drista_

_Hi pissbaby, i know it’s been a while :( i’ve been busy with my y…_

The message cut off after that, and he flipped the phone back into place. He felt really bad, as if he’d seen leaked government information. From the way ‘Drista’ spoke, they were probably siblings.  
_I wonder where his family is?_  
A few minutes later, Dream returned with rubbing alcohol, cloth, and bandages. The care brought a smile to the Brit’s face, and he couldn’t help but avert his eyes to anywhere else but in front of him when Dream pulled up a chair next to his.  
“Thissss is gonna sting,” Dream said, not hesitating to douse a cloth in the liquid and quickly put it on George’s skin.

The shriek that escaped George probably scared every feral Slime on the planet back to calmness.  
Dream had to hold back pained laughter from his reaction, mainly going “calm down, just wait” and “shut up” as he kept the pressure on the boy’s arm.  
A few minutes later, after cleaning it up, Dream began wrapping the white bandage around the pale limb. George’s breath steadied, and he unclenched his jaw that he didn’t know was tightly held.  
“Thank you,” he said genuinely, and he saw a small smile on Dream’s face.  
It was quickly gone, though. George knew it was because he still blamed himself. He didn’t know how much arguing it would take to convince him it wasn’t, but they had only known each other for less than a few hours. Of course it wouldn’t be simple.  
_And yet I feel as if I’ve known him for a lifetime._

“I have something to make up for it,” Dream once again burst George’s thought bubble.  
“Huh-? Dream, please, you don’t-”  
“Shh, I planned this beforehand,” the stupid fucking dimpled-gremlin grinned.  
He stood up and made his way to the oven and opened it, and with oven mitts, brought out a pan of what seemed to be a cookie with a yellow (sigh, light-green, George) filling in the center. Green-yellow (GOLDEN) honey-looking liquid was drizzled over the top. Steam floated off of them.  
“Kept them on very low until you got here, but now is a good time to bring ‘em out, I think.”

Dream set one on a plate and put it in front of George, then doing the same for himself.  
“Don’t worry, it’s not poisonous or whatever,” he smiled. “Unless-?”  
George snorted, and blew on his cookie and took a bite. It was extremely hot and he looked insane whilst trying to blow on it with it inside his mouth- but, when he was done, he was hit with _flavor._  
“Howy schit,” he covered his mouth as he spoke. “Thish is lik-” he swallowed, “-really good?”  
It was sweet, extremely sweet. It felt as if even just a lick would coat his mouth in sugar, especially an entire bite. Somehow, it wasn’t too sweet though, especially when it turned from saccharine to a minty, surprisingly decent end. The drizzling of honey helped it even more. He was going to develop a blood clot, but he would die happy.

“Thank you,” even just Dream’s smile looked proud, “I’ve only made those a few times… Mint Mango cookies with some spare Honey Plorts for the stuff on top.”  
“Wow,” was all George could muster.  
He ate the rest at a polite pace, despite him wanting to shove it all down his throat and pass out.  
“You’ve only made this a few times-?” he asked in disbelief.  
“Well, this dish, yes. I bake in my spare time, though, if I ever have any.”

George nodded, but their earlier conversation then came flooding back into his head. He licked his lips and pressed a napkin to them, before taking the recorder of his pocket. He set it to where Dream could see it, before slowly shutting it off.  
“Um, Dream?” he said quietly.  
“Yes, George?”  
“I don’t… know if you even want to discuss this any further, but…” he bit his lip. “Earlier, you said it’s all about perspective.”  
He looked at Dream’s face, or the portion that was visible. Even through his lower face, he couldn’t read his emotions.

“There’s a lot about you, Dream,” his voice lowered, “you’re so complex, beneath this ‘Rancher Influencer’ filter.”  
Right then. There was the iconic grin, spread across Dream’s tan face.  
“Oh, am I now?” he asked sarcastically, his tone matching George’s.  
“I want to know,” the blue-and-brown eyed man continued, “I want to know why you do the things you do… why… why did you come out here?”  
Dream tilted his head curiously at the question, and he looked away from George, the smile never leaving his face. The brown-haired man kept talking.  
“Everyone I’ve met has had a reason, one that drove them towards giving up their old life for a new one…”

Dream turned his head back towards George, and the two looked at each other in silence.  
“Why did I come out here,” Dream repeated George. “Well…”  
He took a deep breath in, and traced circles along the table gently. Up closer, his hands looked worn, but strong.  
“Have you ever heard of koinophobia?”  
The question took George by surprise. He shook his head after a moment.  
“Koinophobia,” Dream went on, “is the fear of living an ordinary life.”

Silence passed.  
“It’s when you fear that you’re so ordinary,” he looked at his uneaten cookie, “that one day, the world will forget about you. But it will keep spinning.”  
“Isn’t that the majority of the population though?” The brunet asked quietly.  
Dream nodded. “That’s the point. The fear that you’re no different than the rest.”  
A comfortable yet curious quietness came over them.  
“That’s what you have, then? Koinophobia?”

Dream shrugged, and broke off a bit of his cookie. “The reason, George, as to why I came out here… I had no choice.”  
George furrowed his eyebrows slightly, confused. Dream gestured towards the plate full of cookies.  
“Grab another one,” and so the brunet did so.  
“What do you mean you had no choice?” He pressed. Curiosity was eating away at him, and he was growing sick of chasing answers from the mysterious man.

“Look at my necklace, George.”  
He squinted at the dangling jewelry hanging from the tall man’s neck- he hadn’t noticed it before. It was a very simple necklace, a silver loop around his neck with a tag hanging off of it. The tag looked like it had been cut in half. In black letters on it wrote one word.  
**Cogito.**  
“It’s one half of two necklaces,” Dream went on. “ _Cogito, ergo sum._ I think, therefore I am. Do you understand?”  
George thought for a moment. What hell did this have to do with _Slime Ranching?_  
He shook his head.

“I think, therefore I am… it’s a philosophical statement. I have my own personal belief, how I _personally_ interpreted it. But what I believe that- you are what you believe, and what you believe is the truth.”  
Dream broke his cookie into smaller pieces, all of which were left uneaten.  
“Ever since I was younger, I’ve believed that there was more to life than sitting in a cubicle for nine hours a day, earning a set salary. I felt as if I knew the truth, the truth being that nothing could compare to living life to the fullest, outside the boundaries of safety. That’s what I believed, and still believe. Therefore, it is the truth, or at least, my truth.”  
George stayed silent. Dream continued.  
“So, George, I slept. For a year, after I saw this place for sale. It was a means to an end. I would rather lose a year of my life and live out the rest, rather than keep a year, and lose the rest.”

A breath escaped George. It wasn’t one of frustration, but one of finally understanding what he meant.  
“That’s why I chose my name, Dream. I believed in my dream…”  
A breathy, soft laugh escaped the blond.  
“...therefore, it exists.”

And once more, like always, silence filled the space between them.

“So, George.”  
George looked at Dream. Even wearing a mask, he seemed so see through.  
“Do you understand now?” he asked.  
George stared at him for a moment, before slowly nodding. His hands uncurled; he didn’t even know they had nearly been clenched.  
“Yes,” he said slowly, before a smile crossed his face. 

“Yes, I think I do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You should totally contact me if you wanna vibe, y'know?  
> 
> 
> [Twitter!](https://mobile.twitter.com/gildedobsidian)
> 
> [Wattpad!](http://w.tt/37PeQU9)


	5. Up All Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream and George go for a walk at night, along the sea and beneath the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so long. Also my favorite chapter!

“Do you miss your family?”  
It was almost completely night, with the sun barely being able to be seen over the cliffs anymore. George was helping Dream put away the leftovers, and brought his dish to the sink. He couldn’t do much with his injured arm, though. So he turned the recorder back on, and let the interview continue.  
“My family?” the farmer repeated, staring at the dishes he was cleaning.  
The light-eyed boy nodded, to where he could be seen out of his peripheral vision.  
“Yeah,” Dream answered after a moment.

George nodded in response, and continued sorting dishes. He didn’t expect the other man to continue.  
“It was tough,” Dream went on, drawing back George’s attention, “to leave them behind… my parents took it really hard when I told them the news. My siblings, too, especially my younger sister, Drista.”  
_Drista._  
“They fought me, told me to not do it… when I told them, I’d been thinking about it for almost a year prior. Truly a miracle this place didn’t sell in said near-year, but it be like that sometimes.”  
George snorted.  
“But yeah. Well, they came to accept it eventually, and we all still talk over the phone, and Starmail, and all that jazz.”  
“I see.”

The colorblind man bit at his lip, not sure if he should delve any deeper. But he did.  
“Do you…” he gulped as Dream turned his head towards his. “Do you think…”  
George stood there awkwardly, all the dishes having been put away or washed. Dream turned the faucet off, and one more question plagued the visitor’s mind. He inhaled, and continued.

“Would you ever go back?”

Dream stopped in his tracks, and George’s blood turned cold. Was this a question that would ruin everything?  
Seconds had gone by, and Dream tilted his head to the side with a light sigh. He moved a hand through his dirty blond hair, and turned around to face George.  
“No.”  
The confidence in his voice assured both of them of his answer, and how set he seemed when it came to it.  
“I figured,” George nodded slowly.  
Dream let out a _‘hmm’_. “How so?”

“Everyone who comes out here always has a reason, like I said,” he answered. “It’s a really tough decision… one that you think through, and only go with when you know you won’t have any regrets.”  
Dream shrugged. “Not always.”  
Now it was George’s turn to tilt his head. “Really?”  
He got a nod.  
“When I came out here, although I had been thinking about it for about a year, I didn’t know if I would regret it or not. When I stepped foot onto the dirt, my first thought was _please god let this go right._ ”  
They both started laughing. Genuine laughter, which was so nice and refreshing after such an intense conversation. George savored it, and the hard laughter emitting from Dream. The joke itself wasn’t even that funny- it was just the need to experience a bit of joy in that moment that made it so nice.

“But hey, here I am now,” Dream finally finished. “And I would say that it paid off quite well.”  
The dark-haired boy nodded in obvious agreement, and gently rubbed his injured arm. The jacket he had earlier was by the front door for him to take home later, so he could try to save it. But he doubted any of the cherry-colored fluid would be coming out any time soon, and he was getting quite cold.  
“Well, thank you for letting me interv-”  
“Wait,” Dream stopped him. “Don’t go yet.”  
George looked at him, a puzzled and surprised look on his face. Huh?

The man suddenly looked less confident.  
“Um, I wanted to show you something first, if you’d like to see… it only comes at night and, well…”  
“Sure,” he responded. “Do you have an extra blanket, or something though? It’s kind of cold out there…”  
Dream nodded and once again ran off. He returned a moment later, with a sweater.  
“It’s newly washed, so…” He handed it to George, who slipped it over his head.  
It was slightly big for him, but neither of them were complaining.  
“Hand me my recording device,” George gestured to the table.  
Dream hesitated, before giving him the small box.

“Um, are you sure about this?” the older responded.  
“Well, if you’re comfortable with it.”  
“Y-yeah I am.”  
Dream smiled. “Then let’s go.”  
And with that, they both stepped outside and shut the door behind them.

The host stepped down the stairs, and George closely followed. The pathway beneath them glowed, from the reflections caused by the lights from the corrals, and entrances to other sections of the yard. He looked up at Dream again, and saw his fluffy blond hair was illuminated by the teal lights from the surrounding technology. For something so simple, it seemed so ethereal.  
“Sorry, it’s a bit of a walk… I like it, though. Helps me think, which uh- I have ADHD, so-” Dream broke off in a laugh, and George soon copied.  
They quieted down, and continued on. The sound of their boots against the dirt filled the silence with anticipation.

“What about you?”  
Dream asked George this random question without looking back, which made the shorter man slow down for a second.  
“I’m sorry?” He responded, puzzled.  
“Earlier, you said everyone had a reason to travel out this far. What’s yours?”  
“Oh. Um,” George paused. “Well… I didn’t have much back home, I guess.”  
“Oh.”  
Nothing else- no _‘cool’, no ‘okay, just a simple ‘oh’_. Even though it wasn’t his fault if this made Dream jealous, his heart still felt as if it was being pricked at with needles of guilt. He felt partially bad, for not having strong ties with his family- unlike Dream. He tugged on an eyelash as they continued along, tension filling the air.

“In a way, you got lucky,” Dream finally said.  
George let out a quiet sigh of relief from the new talking.  
“I know,” he quietly responded, staring at the path ahead of them.  
“My…” Suddenly, the American’s voice seemed to crack. He cleared it.  
“My sister messaged me the other day…” Dream resumed speaking, “she told me she was forgetting how I smelled. Which seems weird to a different person, right, but- but I’m scared that one day, we’ll lose connection.”

George’s guilt immediately got replaced with sadness. He couldn’t imagine living a thousand light years away from such close family. He rubbed Dream’s arm, expecting it to be awkward- instead, the masked man almost seemed to lean into it.  
“We can send pictures, obviously, Starmail, shitty FaceTime, but- sometimes I’m worried she’ll wake up, and forget about me. Not like my face, but my clothes, my mannerisms and habits… things that form a person.”  
George nodded in understanding, a cue for him to continue.  
Dream shrugged, before shivering slightly.  
“I know it’s impossible, but sometimes I like to imagine we meet again.”  
“How old is she?” George gently asked.  
“Fourteen.”  
“Oh.”  
“Yeah.”

The path turned from just a normal path into more dust and pebbles, and the terrain began forming upwards, meaning more climbing. (Wow, a serious interview and physical exercise? They really needed to pick a struggle.) Night had fully fallen at that point, and any evidence of the sun having shone hours previously was now washed away by the stars.  
“How much longer?” George asked, avoiding a large rock on the path.  
“Not much further.”  
“It’s getting dark, aren’t Tarr stronger at night?”  
“Yeah, but you’ll think it’s worth it.”  
“Have you ever gotten attacked by a Tarr?”  
Dream snorted at the question.

“Yeah,” he responded. “A lot of times. It’s a miracle the scars faded. Y’know, this job is a lot more dangerous than people make it out to be.”  
“I can tell,” George replied. “From everything you’ve told me today.”  
“Such as?”  
“Well, the rant you went on about earlier, from chasing animals in bramble to becoming a Rancher and dealing with Hunter Slimes.”  
Dream wheezed at the answer, and George once again smiled from the contagiousness.  
“You actually listened, huh. Yeah, I ramble about stuff way too much…” He trailed off.  
“It’s cu- fun, don’t worry.”

Dream let out a ‘hm’, and the two fell into a silent walk.

“One last question…” George said a second later.  
“Yeah?”  
“Is anyone else out here?”  
Dream thought for a moment, before nodding.  
“This is all just one part, minus the Blanket and Glass Desert… I know one girl, Mochi. She lives on a different part. I’ve never come face to face with her, but she’s pretty cool. Been here for Christ knows how long, before I even came, ‘cause her dad sent her out. She never left, though. I think it’s grown on her.”  
“Oh, wow.”  
“Yeah… she called it like a coop once to me, though,” the green-eyed snorted.

The ground around them soon started to turn from dry dust to a more luscious, florid bush. They were higher up now, and even though he was scared of heights, George couldn’t help but look over the edge in awe. The sea, although truly terrifying, looked beautiful when the moon’s reflection shimmered on it. The waves were so graceful, a dark teal in the night.

“We’re here,” Dream murmured, way too close to George.  
“Wow,” was all the older man could say.  
“Just wait,” the blond hummed, and sat down with his legs dangling over the edge.  
George hesitated, before doing the same. It was scary, but he didn’t want to look like he was being weird. He slowly lowered himself down, and swung his legs over the edge facing the sea of goo.  
He waited patiently for whatever it was that Dream had brought him here for, looking around expectantly. Their legs were almost touching from the close proximity, and the air seemed to grow tender as they sat in the dark silence.

Finally, what seemed like years later, Dream let out a small gasp and grabbed onto George’s arm. He pointed outwards, towards the sea, along a shore that lead into it. The shore curved in a U-like shape, so they could see the shore both below them and across some of the water.  
At first, George couldn’t tell what he was supposed to be looking at. That was until he realized he could see tiny flecks of light shimmering along the yellow-orange sand, slowly multiplying.  
“What is that?” He said, just above a whisper.  
Dream only smiled in return.

Just then, a Phosphor Slime popped up from the ground right next to them. George shrieked and, naturally, moved away quickly- only to be right next to Dream.  
“W-what the FUCK-”  
Dream started laughing, bringing his hands to his mouth as he watched the brunet’s face turn a shade short of scarlet. George simply shook his head in annoyance, glaring at the Phosphor Slime. More began to pop up out of the ground, all around the area. It was almost a complete distraction from the fact that Dream’s hand had begun to slide over George’s.  
His head turned slowly to the masked man’s, but he made no effort to move the position.

“Do you see why I brought you out here?” Dream asked, without looking towards George.  
And he did. It was an incredibly beautiful sight, like standing in an empty field and watching fireflies illuminate the dark around you. There was no risk of danger, or Tarr, in sight. Only the sound of small shouts from the floating and bouncing Slime, and the sound of some bug quietly chirping in the distance.  
“It’s beautiful,” he responded.  
Dream nodded, before going on.  
“George,” he said in a low voice. “You and I are a lot alike.”  
“Mm?” the British turned his head curiously. “And how’s that?”

“You mentioned earlier,” Dream’s fingers ran over George’s knuckles, “that when you were younger, you wished to catch Slimes. And why’s that?”  
The man stayed silent, allowing the other to continue.  
“You feel the need, too,” he went on, just above a whisper. “I can see it in your eyes, when you look at the things here on the island. I can tell, from the way your gaze drags itself from the most beautiful things.”  
George shook his head, the closeness between them far too much. “No, I- don’t even like Slimes.”  
Dream leaned in. Even though half his face was covered, the brown-and-blue eyed boy couldn’t help but look away.  
“You say that,” he murmured. “But are you sure it’s not because you’re resistant to the idea of not just learning more, but doing more? I can tell you… you and I share a lot. I’ve seen people like you. That’s why you’re a reporter, huh?”

George looked at him, confused.  
“That’s why you’re a reporter,” he repeated himself. “To see what’s out there.”  
The pale boy only blankly stared back, staring at the mask that lay upon sun-kissed skin. It glowed a lonely light blue from the light that shone from the moon.  
Dream’s hand raised to George’s jaw, tilting his head up ever so slightly, so he stared directly at the shorter man. The guest felt his own hand trail down to his pocket, switching off his recorder for a second time. An even wider smirk flickered on Dream’s features.  
“Tell me George,” Dream continued, and George shivered at the use of his name, “why did you come out here? I don’t mean the Range. You told me everyone has a reason, so… what is yours? In depth.”

George stared at Dream for a moment, their faces far too close to each other, and if the Ranger brushed his thumb over his jaw one more time, he would surely collapse.  
He bit his lip and diverted his gaze, delving deep into his own memory. Why he became a reporter- no. Why he even left Earth, well…

“There was nothing for me,” he said simply, as he did earlier.  
Dream tilted his head, but said nothing.  
“There was nothing for me back on Earth,” George went on. “I barely had contact with my family since we were never close, I couldn’t see myself…”  
He trailed off.  
“Couldn’t see yourself as anything?” the boy in the crop top asked slowly.  
George stayed silent, before looking back at the two dot black eyes.  
“Nothing I wanted to be.”

“How long did it take you to decide?” Dream asked in a low voice.  
“One month.”  
The blond snickered quietly.  
“Man, you’re one hell of a guy,” and if possible, Dream leaned in further, “but you’re a lot like me.”  
George felt one of his hands drift up to the other’s hoodie strings on the crop top, and his eyelids felt heavy.  
“Take off your mask.”  
To his surprise, a tan, veiny hand reached to the unseen face, and pushed his mask upwards.

Oh. This was a mistake.  
Just as George had (unfortunately) predicted, Dream was indeed hot. 

His eyes were a deep, jade yel- _green_. They were big and angular, making him look like he was about to do something at any moment. Even in the poorly-lit area, his eyelashes looked long around his eyes, almost brushing his cheeks with every blink.  
His face was adorned with freckles, scattered on his cheeks and nose, some going upwards. They were like flecks on a painting, the beautifully covered canvas being Dream.  
“Like what you see?” He whispered.  
“I might.”

It was this line that finally set the picture in motion.

Dream leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against George’s, both eyes fluttering shut alongside the other’s own. His hand trailed from the back of the brunet’s neck, to the wavy brown hair that sat upon his head. He moved his fingers in it, playing with it softly.  
George’s head had gone completely blank, the only sensation he was focusing on was the feeling of gentle skin against his own, with the smell and taste of mint mangos and sweet honey invading his senses.

They broke away eventually, both needing to catch breath as they processed what had exactly just happened.  
_Holy shit,_ was a thought that went through George’s head. Many times. _I just kissed Dream after seeing his face!?_  
Little did he know, Dream’s thought process was mainly _Holy shit. I just kissed George after showing him my face?!_  
The elder scanned the other’s face, desperate to see what he was feeling. Did he regret it already? Had he done someth-

Before he could finish the thought, Dream’s mouth was back on his, just as thoughtful as before. George happily returned it immediately, basking in the returned flavor of the pastry. His hand drifted to the taller man’s shoulders, carefully clinging onto them and his neck as they continued to make out on the cliff.

They broke off this time for way longer, and George wiped his mouth with the sweater of his hoodie. It wasn’t even his, it was Dream’s.  
_God, the thought of it being Dream’s sweater drowning him was so…_  
“Was that okay?” Dream’s voice shattered his weird thoughts.  
George nodded immediately, red overcoming his face.  
“Y-yeah,” he said. “Definitely.”  
“So you wouldn’t mind if I did it again?”

The Brit shook his head, going back in as Dream leaned in again.  
“Not at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You should totally contact me if you wanna vibe, y'know?  
> 
> 
> [Twitter!](https://mobile.twitter.com/gildedobsidian)
> 
> [Wattpad!](http://w.tt/37PeQU9)


	6. Mine, All Mine.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silence isn't fun to hear. Or, well, to not hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I write the email at 5 AM? Yes. Did I proofread it? No.
> 
> This was a very fun fic to write, I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you to those who stayed with me. :]
> 
> Also!! Fanart was made, wow! [Click here](https://twitter.com/Snrpy1/status/1346115592206438401?s=20) to see it, it's so cute and was the perfect vibe I was going for. [Here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28551777/chapters/69967620) is their fic you should also go support!

= - + - =

**Five Days Later**

= - + - =

George lay on his bed in his high apartment, eyelids heavy. It was a Saturday, so no work, but he still woke up at six AM because of his internal body clock. His breath was steady, and he felt himself begin to drift off into a sad sleep.

Why it was sad, was because it had been five days (that felt like more than a week), and Dream hadn’t messaged him. At all. Literally nothing. They’d left on good terms, with Dream pressing a small kiss to his cheekbone as George had turned to go back onto a ship and leave. Dream had his contact information, and yet…

His expectations, like always, were too high. _Men._

It was fine, he supposed. He’d been rejected before, ghosted. Hell, cussed at once. But this time, the feeling of sadness felt more… intense. As if someone he’d known for forever had abandoned him. Why was it bothering him more now, with a man he’d spoken to for just a few hours?

_He understood you,_ something in his mind told him.  
 _Please,_ he thought back. _I barely understand myself, I doubt he meant anything._  
 _So the rants meant nothing to you? When he spoke about what drew him into the unknown? When he went on and on, as if he had lived life through your very own eyes?_  
 _I clearly meant nothing to him, since I don’t even know if he’s interested anymore. Why should I believe all of his ramble?_  
 _Because you saw it, too. You saw the look. The hunger._

George sighed and rolled over, burying his head in his mattress. His heart raced dejectedly, and he longingly hugged a spare pillow. As he sank back into sleep, a small but noticeable ping rang out from his phone on the nightstand. With his last bit of energy, he pulled it over to him and unlocked it.

—————

_Subject: ^___^_   
_From: dreamon@starmail.com_

_Hi George!!_   
_I’m sorry i haven’t starmailed you sooner, i’ve been trying to figure out what to say exactly. but now i think i got it. Or at least i hope._

_i heard your interview got you a promotion instantly, which is so pog?? maybe you should do it again sometime…? haha jk unless? no i’m not kidding. yes i am no i’m not._

_seriously though, it was really fun hanging out with you, even if only for an interview (and a lil bit more hehe ;)))) and i would like to meet up again sometime, we both live in the same system so… pogchamp? maybe coffee or something? if you like coffee. i wanna know more about you, since now you know so much about me. betcha don’t even know my favorite color. sighs. bet. you can’t even see it._

_(hint: it begins with gr and ends with een. you got this!)_

_um, before that though i kinda wanna get something out. like a disclaimer. yeah that’s never a good sign when someone tells you a ‘disclaimer’ when they ask you out hahGDJGDHGD. but basically, i know we talked a bunch while you were here, but... it goes. a lot deeper than that! so if you were to get to know me better, there would be a lot more of. that._

_it’s just kind of a part of me, and i’m pretty alone out here on the ranch, so- i’m not. used to talking with others. especially about subjects like that. so you coming and talking with me so much was kind of a really big deal? which is why i was so anxious to message you. actually, as i type this out i’m currently shaking?_

_i know this is, like, a lot to take in right now, and i’m being really vague, so i’m just gonna put it out here- i don’t really know what i’m doing. like, on the ranch. i mean, i know a bunch of stuff. but to be honest, where i’ll be in five years in a complete mystery to me. but after we talked, i think i’m starting to understand more of what i didn’t. more about others._

_you know, george, i always thought humans weren’t any good. including myself. i surrounded myself with the plants and animals, burying any need for others that i still had. but i think you might’ve changed something in me, something shifted. i don’t know what, and to be honest, for the first time in a while, i’m scared. really, i am. i spoke to you about koinophobia, but this is new. this is really the first time i’m scared of something new._

_so when you came the other day, and told me about yourself- although you were kinda vague about everything, i felt like i could get attached to you. and really, i haven’t gotten attached to anything in years. so that’s why i’m scared, george, really. i felt like you might understand me- or at least he closer to understanding me than anyone i’ve met has. half of me is anxious, but the other half feels happy :]._

_so call me, maybe. or don’t, no harsh feelings. but i’d like to see you again. more than like._

_\- Clay :D_

_PS- left u a package!! <3 _

—————

George’s eyes widened as his heart forced him wide awake. He stood up immediately and put his phone down, thinking up a response as he moved down his stairs and put on a jacket and shoes. 

He opened the door and was blasted with a cool wind, but one that was easily ignorable- especially with the early adrenaline vibes coursing through him. His eyelids were heavy, but his heart was light (and racing at a speed too fast for a human).

George arrived at the front desk, and the receptionist looked up at him. She was Niki, who had worked for the advanced apartment complex since a bit before he had moved in.  
“George! We just got a package for you a bit ago, would you like it now?”  
He nodded, and the employee bent down and took out a small package from beneath the desk. It was probably the size of his phone, if not smaller.  
“Thank you Niki,” he grinned, and she smiled back at him.

He ran upstairs and scrambled for his keys, hastily unlocking his door and locking it once more behind him. George threw his jacket off and carefully looked at the box, cardboard and nearly taped. Bringing it to his room, he sat down on the bed.  
Grabbing scissors, he removed the tape and opened the box slowly. If even the tape was neat, then the gift would have had to be good too.

Finally, he opened up the box, and inside was a piece of jewelry. He sat in front of the rising sun, though, and had to move against it to see it. It was just like Dream’s, a silver part of a duo dangling off of a simple circular line. The orange, rising sun from outside the large window next to his bed reflected off of it beautifully, a mix of yellow and pink (not that he would know) slowly mixing with the blue sky.

Gently holding the accessory up, George whispered two words that were engraved into the shiny, metal gift. A chill ran down his spine, either from the coldness or the event.  
Even in a silent, alone room, his voice felt louder than ever.

“ _Ergo sum._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! <3
> 
> [Twitter!](https://mobile.twitter.com/gildedobsidian)
> 
> [Wattpad!](http://w.tt/37PeQU9)


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